Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 12
12
Acknowledged
Many calls could be digital, yet some services remain offline and customers need assistance.
Recommendation
While the use of digital services has increased, HMRC still estimates that 66% of telephone calls could have been handled online. HMRC said this partly reflects customer awareness of the extent of its digital services. It started a campaign in November 2024 to increase awareness, particularly of its mobile app.26 HMRC said it also reflects a lack of customer confidence, with customers wanting reassurance over the phone that, for example, they have done something correctly online. It said it is increasing the digital communication with its customers, for example by sending SMS messages to Child Benefit claimants to confirm it has received the claim.27 However, HMRC also recognised that not all services are available online and not all customers can go online.28 HMRC estimates around 20% of its customers, or 7 million people, need assistance to use its digital services.29 HMRC said it has increased its support for vulnerable customers by around 20% and has provided £5.5 million of funding to community and voluntary organisations for customer outreach and support.30 21 Q 72 22 Customer service, Figure 7 23 Customer service, para 2 24 Q 54 25 Report on 2023–24 Accounts, para 8 26 Q 73 27 Q 73 28 Q 55 29 Customer service, para 13 30 Q 88 10
Government Response Summary
HMRC is considering resourcing as part of the Spending Review, further digitizing customer services, and will publish a Transformation Roadmap in 2025 outlining plans to extend digital services and provide better customer service, including measures for digital inclusion and support.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 2.2 The government agrees with recommendation 2a and is currently considering HMRC’s resourcing as part of the Spending Review. Further digitising HMRC’s customer services will enable more customers to self-serve online, which in turn will enable HMRC’s helpline advisers to focus on helping those customers who need support because, for example, they are digitally excluded, are experiencing vulnerable circumstances or due to the complexity of their affairs. HMRC will publish a Transformation Roadmap in 2025 outlining plans to extend digital services and provide better customer service for customers. It will include measures to ensure digital inclusion and support for customers who cannot interact with HMRC digitally. Greater digitisation of HMRC’s services will both improve services for customers and provide better efficiency for the taxpayer.